Need That Boy Like a Bowling Ball
by Nonnahs
Summary: ZeLink Zelda and Link have split, both angry at the other for not listening. Zelda is hurt by Link's constant critisism of her leadership and as a friend and wonders if he would be saying the same thing if he was in her shoes.
1. Chapter 1

**You need that boy like a bowling ball, dropped on your head  
**_Which means not at all._****

New story from me ZeLink all the way :) This is a new story which was going to be a continuation of "The Alternate Timeline" but I didn't want to screw it up and make it suck. I have a great feeling about this one. Please review**. I'll love you forever and it gives me encouragement to write more.  
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**It's AU. Yes. Because everyone knows Stock Pot Inn is in Castle Town in Termina. :) Basically the Hyrule I mention is a mix between both countries combined into one. :)****  
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The sun rested on the horizon. Golden rays of sunshine illuminated the cold, stony castle and cast their sights upon the sleeping Princess, the future ruler of the most advanced, economically and magically, kingdom the world had to offer to the god.

"Mi'lady, 'tis time for your bath," called a maid as she readied the tub with water, warm from the Zora Hot Springs which had been used to recover from the harsh winter the Zora's suffered through.

Zelda rolled over on her back and sat up. She, at that moment, most definitely did not look like a princess. Her hair was a complete mess, unkempt, and her overall appearance was unsatisfactory. It was made evident, though she did not say so, that she had had a rough night.

What else was she to do? '_It wasn't my fault_.' was the first thought that ran through her mind as she climbed out of bed and slowly headed toward the bathroom to be cleansed in lavender scented fragrences and to be pampered by oils and lotions the maids used.

Soapy bubbles consumed her hair and ran down her body as she closed her eyes, reminiscing the night Link and her split.

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_"There you go again, Link! You act like you're always so right and everything's all a big show! You think you know what everyone in the country needs and you always have to take the time to criticize me."_

_Link was silent as his eyes watched her fiercely reject his critisim._

_"It's like, everyday I make mistakes and I can never get it right. Why am I the one you love to hate?"_

_Link shook his head and turned, his obnoxious yet incredibly sexy bangs falling infront of his crystal-blue eyes. "I was merely pointing out that you need are in need of a husband. You need a suitable ruler for this kingdom. You are stubborn. You will not yield to suggestions I have given to you and as a result, the people of this country are suffering. I do not love to hate you. I hate to love you."_

_"What do you care, Link? You're never in Hyrule for more than a month. You're always off on a quest and you're never home, so why should I bother to listen to you?"_

_"Zel, look." He ran a hand through his hair, attempting to clear the bangs from his face, but to no avail. "We're best buds. We even kissed once or twice--"_

_"Three times."_

_"--yeah, yeah, three times. Okay. Can't you trust me? I live among the people. I don't have fancy lavish castles or millions of ruppees to spend as I please. I am aware of what a peasent suffers through daily in the poverty-stricken areas of this prosperous kingdom. Please accept my advice!"_

_Zelda looked asthough she were about to cry. "You can't even remember how many times we've kissed. What best friend are you to me?"_

_"And you to I! In public, you avoid me as though I am dirt under the fingernails of your perfectly manicures hands." Link shot back as he turned and headed to the balcony._

_"Are you trying to tell me I'm a mistake? That I'm blind and stupid?" Zelda called to him as he stood out on the balcony._

_"Do not try achieving a pity-party from me, Princess Zelda."_

_And then he jumped from the balcony into the clearing below, making a nice landing without causing bodily harm._

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It had been three months since that argument. She hadn't seen him since, although she had heard rumors of dead bodies scattered around the area of Hyrule Field and Kakariko.

She could only assume that it was simply some monsters on a rampage. Link was out of the question. The Link she knew wouldn't harm a fly, muchless kill an innocent person.

Zelda smiled as the maids rinsed her hair clean as she felt the grime of grease in her hair fall down into the dirty water below her. "Today is going to be a good day." She said aloud as she stood up and was dried and promply escorted to her room where she was abruptly dressed in a beautiful burgundy gown which offset her hair and eye tones.

She adorned her golden circlet, which was her crown. It had been passed down from generation to generation of queens and before her mother had passed away, it was given to Zelda in the next line of rule.

Her hair was throughly brushed while she listened to her maids chatter on about their love-lives and the latest gossip.

Zelda, anxious to hear the gossip, let her bouncy curly blonde hair fall from her typical style and let it rest just beyond her shoulders.

"..And they say that this mysterious man who is staying at the Stock Pot Inn is as handsome as can be! His attire doesn't seem so great but he's so mysterious I think I've fallen in love with him." said one maid as she assisted another in making the princess' bed.

"But Hannah, you have yet to meet the young man!" Said the other maid that she was assisting.

"Oh, but I shall, Sarah. Just after my shift is over."

Zelda cut in. "...I know it seems that as though it's not protocol but I would...I would like to ask if I would be able to accompany you in meeting this young man?"

Hannah arched an eyebrow. "But Mi'lady..you don't know the first thing about street life. What if you were harmed?"

"You're starting to sound like snooty Captian Merth." Zelda growled under her breath. "Don't worry. As long as I have my maids-in-waiting, you guys, with me...we'll be fine. I'll even reward you with extra salary. Please?"

Sarah smiled, liking the idea of extra payment. "Heh. Sure, why not? They say he only appears at the last light before dusk and lurks the town for hours before returning to his room. But we don't know for sure what he does the rest of the daylight hours."

Zelda laughed. "Well, I guess we'll just have to find out, won't we?" Her head began to pulsate as something shot through her mind.  
"You're too friendly, Zelda. Remain on task and do not let your friendly disposition interfere with the workings of government!" Link had said this one night, a few weeks before their break up.

She shivered but ended up grinning anyway, excited for the nights events that would soon unfold.

"Our quest for this man begins at sundown. Prepare yourselves and meet me back at my room tonight, after dinner has concluded." Zelda said, defiantly in what Link had ever criticized her in.

'Take that.'

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**Ta-dah! If you notice, I wrote it so that it could fit with Alternate Timeline..but this seemed to merit it's own story.**

**REVIEW, PLZ.**

**:) Love, Shannon **


	2. Chapter 2

Hannah set down the brush and went ahead to dust the tables while the other maid, Sarah, cleaned the windows. Zelda stared at her reflection, surveying herself.

'Why is it that I always see my imperfect reflection in the mirror? Is it because of him? Why can't I see my good qualities too? It seems like those are always drowned out and I can never be good enough for his eyes...so then, what makes me a good Princess?..Okay, in his eyes, a Mediocre Princess? Why don't know these traits about myself? Am I just blind?' she thought while twirling her hair.

She closed her eyes, no longer wishing to see the 'failure' whom Link despised so much that they could no longer be friends.

'I just hope that meeting this stranger will take my mind off Link. Adventure can be my remedy to make me forget, at least for awhile, my suffering.'

Done with wallowing in her own self pity, Zelda stood triumphantly and left the room, heading to the library where she would continue her daily activities of studying the histories of neighboring countries. It was the job of Royalty's to know and understand their allies in order to become better friends and have a common talking subject.

She flipped through one book, then another. Hours passed by while she searched and scowered atlases and willed herself to actually complete her studying time. By supper time, she was completely exhausted from reading.

The girls had discussed that they would take their plan into action after meal-time and she whole-heartedly agreed for it would be strange if none of the ladies-in-waiting, or the princess, bothered to show up for dinner.

At times during her study period, she would ponder how exactly to go about meeting the mysterious man. She wondered why he was so famed now and she mused about his apperance. Was it that he gave pleasure to the women he was with? Or was his eyes and scrumptious body too captivating for them to stand?

But then she thought how disappointed she would be if he was a four-foot tall shrimp with a third eye. She shuddered and went back to her study.

At supper time, Zelda alerted Captian Merth that her and her Maids were going to be in her chambers for the rest of the night and were not to be disturbed for they were to be playing intense games of Chess. When Captian Merth asked if they would enjoy his company, Zelda smiled and politely said no.

"The highly esteemed Captian Merth wouldn't want to be in a room of gossip-talking girly-girls, would he?"

And that put an end to that.

After excusing herself from the meal, she gracefully walked away and up into her chambers where she found the maids waiting for her.

"It may not be my place to say, Your Highness, but...You took a very long time! What were you doing? There's only twenty minutes until sundown!" Hannah called to her, tapping her foot impatiently with a look unsettling discomfort on her face.

Zelda sighed and pulled out her cloak and her robe which was dark colored and covered her dress over. She didn't have time to change out of her dress so the robe and cloak would have to do. Since they were both dark and were not ornate in decoration, they were not easily noticed. She dropped her tiara in her pocket and tied her hair back into a bun. Hiding her appearance behind the cloak made it easy for the maids to escort her to the town. They took her to the Stock Pot Inn and soon disappeared into the streets of the crowded people.

Tonight was a special night, apparently, there were glowing candle-lamps illuminating the streets and everywhere Zelda turned, she saw cheery people who were indulgning themselves in the bliss of alcohol.

Zelda wandered through the streets of the towns, trying to stay near the flow of people for she knew of the unpleasant things that happened in the Alleyways of the towns. Link made this issue a main focus in his arguments to her when she were to become a queen.

Zelda sighed, unable to find the "Mysterious Man" everyone had been talking about. She had gotten her hopes up. Over what, though? Over the fact that she wanted to take her mind off of her love.

She sat at bar of the local Milk Bar and drank her worries away with shot of alcohol. She knew it was stupid..she also knew that she was depressed and that this would hopefully make herself feel better.

She sighed and put down the shot of whiskey rested her chin on the knuckles of her clasped fist. "Do I deserve this punishment for everything I've done to Link?"

She closed her eyes, the alcohol was slowly taking it's effect on her. She was a petite girl and there wasn't much alcohol needed to intoxicate her system. She wasn't fully aware of her surroundings until a tall man briskly walked by her and sat down adjacent to her. She opened her eyes and glanced over at him.

He ordered his own pint of whiskey from the bartender and quietly sat, tapping the bar rail patiently. Zelda noticed he had a nice figure and a cute hairstyle. She turned back to her shotglass and surveyed her nails, as if she was unconcerned with the fact that a totally hot guy was sitting next to her.

Until she had to sneeze.

"AHHCHOO." Her sneeze, though it wasn't loud, it wasn't quiet either.  
"Bless you, my lady." said he, politely looking over to her.  
"Thank you, kind sir." She replied back, nodding her head in appreciation.

She looked from him to her shot glass and to him again. "Do you like pineapple jelly?"

He arched an eyebrow and tilted his head at an angle. "..Pineapple Jelly?"

"Yes. Pineapple Jelly. They turn it into an ingredient for cooking chickened ham." Zelda said, pointing in the air as if hallucinating the Chicken and Ham becoming one.

"...I'm not sure that I've, uh, heard of this 'Pineapple Jelly' of which you speak." He said and turned from her to face his pint of whiskey. 'God, this girl is weird. Maybe I should leave soon.'

"You're pretty." she blurted out as she ran her fingers over the wood-finish on the bar.

"...I've...never been called 'pretty', before. Uh...Thanks. I guess." Said the man, throughly confused and creeped out.

"You must be that mysterious man they talk about all the time!" She proclaimed, jumping from her seat and twirling around in a victory stance. "Do you have a pony?"

He was about to comment but paused abruptly. 'How would this girl be able to come to a conclusion like that so quickly? Have I been that blunt and uncareful of my actions?'. "I do own a pony." 'Or maybe she's just a raving drunk. Who knows...' 


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3! I forgot to put in a AN for chapter two..haha. I was in a rush to update. Anyway, this is my Turkey Day Update! I hope everyone has a fantastic Thanksgiving. It's snowing where I live right now (booyah).**

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"Are you alright, miss? You seem..." he paused. "A bit...off balance." 

"Oh, me? I'm quite fine! And yourself? You should keep warm, you know. You might catch a cold and be sick and then goodness me, what will we do about our Pineapple Jelly and your poor pony!" Zelda said, raving incessantly like a lunatic. Too much alcohol could be the only reason present for the man to accept.

"So, why are you looking for this mysterious man? What if it's dangerous? You should just go home." He said, his icy blue eyes surveyed her. "What exactly are you doing out here anyway?" He brushed his golden bangs from his eyes.

Zelda opened her mouth to comment but the words just wouldn't come to her mind. The only words that she thought of were Castle and Link. "Do you have a girlfriend?"

He averted his gaze and shook his head. "Who are you to ask me this question? Why don't you answer mine?"

"I want to know. Court me!"

"...I don't even know you! And besides, I have a fiancee already!" he lied, his eyes focused on his pint as though it were much more interesting than she.

"A fiancee? Whowhowho?"

"Uhm, well.." He started to come up with a lie but as soon as he continued to speak, Zelda passed out onto him. He, in his shock, picked her up and sat her on his lap. In doing so, he felt something in her pocket that was pointy and sharp yet metallic like. He fumbled through her pocket, trying to find what it was that he felt.

'_Perfect. What is...what is this?..._**ZELDA**?'

He had found her crown.

Zelda awoke minutes later to find herself in a hotel room. Her vision was blurred and objects floated in and out of her mind. She tried to sit up but she was suffering a major headache and didn't bother to move her head.

"Where...where am I?" She said aloud to herself as she scanned the room. "Oh god...what did I do?" Trying to think back to what happened was difficult. She barely remembered anything.

And then he walked in.

He, with his glamour amd mystique. His triumphant attitude which accompanied his stride and his expression was stone-cold. He was carrying a wash cloth in one hand and her cloaks/robes in the other. Setting them aside, he approached her bedside and lit a candle to illuminate her face.

"Do you have a deathwish, Princess?"

Zelda sighed and rubbed at her eyes. She made the connection. The man from before, the man infront of her now...they were both...**Link**.

"You have a fiancee?" She shouted, kicking the blankets off. She was still garbed in her traditional pink Princess outfit with her gold trim along the sleeves and neckline.

Link looked away. "And if I do?"

"I just..." Tears began to form in her eyes. "We're best friends. Why couldn't you tell me who she is?"

"Zelda, it's just none of your business. You're a monarch and you should be more focused on the--Zelda, what's wrong?"

Zelda clutched the sheets with her hands. "Why must you constantly critique every action I do?" Tears continued to collect in her eyes as they threatened to fall.

"Because I want you to be a successful and knowlegable queen."

"But your words hurt me, Link!" she cried, "They cut through my self-esteem like the master sword on an enemy. Clean sweep and leaves no survivors. Difficult to recover. Why don't you understand your words hurt me more than anything else?"

"You should not let my words interfere with your descicions.

"But...But **I love you**!" Zelda shrieked at him. "Your words mean the world to me and they have never once been a comment of praise. You can never comprehend that pain! I love you...! And you ran off and got yourself a fiancee?"

"My private life is none of your concern and neither does it belong in the nose of the Royal Government."

**...Ouch.

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****And so ends Chapter Three. Review, please.****  
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